FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu November 3, 2016 Casey Rich pounds a season-high 14 kills in 4 set win over Saint Martin’s MSUB Volleyball on Facebook | MSUB Volleyball Stack on ISSUU | Box Score Post Match Interview with junior Casey Rich, senior Stormy Siemion, and head coach Casey Williams
MSUB volleyball earns a four set win over conference opponent Saint Martin’s.
The MSUB volleyball team earns a four set win as junior Casey Rich records a season-high 14 kills in GNAC victory over conference opponent Saint Martin’s. BILLINGS, Mont. – Montana State University Billings earned a four set Great Northwest Athletic Conference win over Saint Martin’s 25-17, 19-25, 25-18, and 25-19 Thursday at Alterowitz. Junior Casey Rich pounded home a season-high 14 kills as four players from MSUB finished in double-digit kills. “We did a good job of sticking to our game plan tonight against SMU,” MSUB head coach Casey Williams said. “It wasn’t our prettiest match, but a win is a win. Casey hit her season high of 14 kills and Stormy had another double-double. This is a good win for us, and a confidence boost as we go into our last home match against a tough Seattle Pacific team.
Rich hit .360 in the match earning 14 kills against five errors. The middle blocker added four blocks, five digs, and three assists for the Yellowjackets. Ashlynn Ward tied the match-high of 15 kills. Miranda McConnell added 10 kills and four blocks. Stormy Siemion posted a double-double of 10 kills and a match-high 18 digs. Freshman Faith Taylor had 15 digs for MSUB and Angala Jensen 48 assists. The Yellowjackets started the match with a .429 attack percentage in the opening set, faltered in the second, but finished strong, moving back up to a .400 in the final frame. MSUB ended the night hitting .212 with 69 digs, 8.0 blocks and 55 assists. The Saints were led by 15 kills from Rebecca Mitchell and 12 from Rachel Gondrezick. SMU’s Dani Williams had 23 assists and Nicolette Nesbitt 16. The win improves MSU Billings to 6-19 overall and 4-11 in the GNAC. Saint Martin’s falls to 6-14 overall and 2-14 in the GNAC. MSUB had to rally in sets one and three after being down early. In the first set, a kill off the block from Rich moved the ‘Jackets to within a point, 8-7. Jensen followed that up with a kill to even the score. Mitchell earned a side out for the Saints on an unopposed kill on the outside. McConnell used the block for a point, and a double block from McConnell and Lexa de Jesus tied the score at 11. After being down by two, the Yellowjackets went on a 6-1 run to take the lead 1815. SMU countered with two points to draw the gap to one point. Rallying for the second time in the first set, MSUB used a 7-2 point spread to finish the opening frame. A double block from Jensen and Rich kept the momentum flowing for the Yellowjackets. A kill from Siemion earned MSUB a set point as the ‘Jackets finished the first set by forcing an error from SMU. The Saints opened the second frame with a 2-point lead. For the second straight set, Rich put MSUB ahead for the rally back. This time the middle blocker went up on a SMU overpass. MSUB’s Kylee Cornelio provided back-to-back points with a smart placement kill to the back court. The Saints took a 5-point, 10-5 lead, but a kill from de Jesus and a service ace from Jensen began the climb back. A kill from Ward off a Jensen assist capped a 6-1 run from MSUB to tie the set at 11. A kill out of the right side from de Jesus ended a run of 9-1 from the Saints. The Yellowjackets had one more rally to close the gap to five, 23-17, but unable to dig themselves out of the 8-point deficit, MSUB fell in the second frame on a kill from Mitchell. Starting hot again, the Saints drove ahead in the third to 8-3. Siemion tooled a ball off the block for a side out. The Saints used an off-speed kill to earn a point back. Saint Martin’s continued to use the MSUB block well. Nesbitt forced a ball through the double block. McConnell bounced a ball back over the net and Ward pounded a ball to the floor to draw the ‘Jackets one point back, 10-9. A point from Rich off a back set from Jensen sparked a MSUB rally. Ward finished a defensive get from Siemion with a kill down the line. Back-to-back points from Ward to the center of the court evened the score at 14. Siemion gave the ‘Jackets the lead and Rich drew it out to 20-16 on a kill from the right side. An attack from McConnell finished a 9-4 run to give MSUB a 2-1 lead.
At the net, two kills from McConnell opened-up a MSUB offense surge. A third ball from McConnell that dribbled down the net, fell on the SMU outside line for a 4-point, 8-4, ‘Jacket lead. Siemion handled a roll shot from the Saints that went to Rich for a kill. Ward closed out a rally as MSUB moved ahead 17-9. A set dump from Jensen pulled MSUB to 1912. The Saints closed the door to 21-18, but a kill from Rich was the start of three MSUB power points to end the match. Bre Rodrigues used a roll tip as the Yellowjackets closed out the night, winning in four sets. UP NEXT: MSUB is set to host its final home match of the 2016 season. The Yellowjackets are welcoming conference opponent Seattle Pacific on Saturday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m. during this season’s Senior Night when MSUB’s three graduating seniors Stormy Siemion, Ashlynn Ward, and Kylee Cornelio will be honored before the start of the match. THE BUZZ: Rich named the St. Vincent Healthcare Athlete of the Match. --msubsports.com | #JacketNation--